Monday 2 April 2012

A pair of Wheatears




At this time of year the summer migrants are beginning to appear in our area. Some are arriving to set up territories, others are just passing through on their way to their breeding grounds further north and west. One of the latter birds is the Wheatear, a bird that tends to only be seen on passage in the PBC area, but is a guaranteed annual tick for my year list. This year the bird was added to the list yesterday, 3 days later than last year and not by a single bird, but a pair were seen at a place called Eldernell, which is part of the RSPB reserve at the Nene Washes. The above digiscoped photos show the male in the top one and the female in the other two.

18 comments:

  1. Stunning images to see John... a beautiful bird to see.
    Chester was indeed the home of Hollyoaks... and I ruined a scene take once.
    While travelling to a local pub one evening for a meal this stupid idiot sped past me swerving all over the road... I flashed my lights and pressed my horn... as I pulled into the pub car park I passed the film crew aghast and readying for take two.

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    1. Hi Andrew,
      Thank you.
      Surely you being in a scene would only improve Hollyoaks?! ;)
      J

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  2. Nice images John. Are you sending them our way?
    This digiscoping ain't bad is it! Great stuff John.

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    1. Hi Mike,
      Thank you, I get on okay with digiscoping, not as good as a DSLR though! They will soon be moving your way, I reckon these north easterly winds we have been getting is holding them on the continent.
      J

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  3. Brilliant images John.
    These really help to show the variation in male and female markings.
    Perhaps we may see some at Maxey GP.?

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    1. Hi Roy,
      Thank you. I have been checking Maxey, but as yet, no Wheatears, hopefully there will be one soon.
      J

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  4. Beautiful bird, it has got quite a little mask hasn't it?

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    1. Hi Gillian,
      Yes, the male looks like a bandit with that mask of his! ;)
      J

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  5. I love the soft sunshine evident in the first and third pictures. Beautiful!
    Click here for Bazza’s Blog ‘To Discover Ice’

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    1. Hi Bazza,
      Thank you, you are too kind.
      J

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  6. They are beautiful photos of beautiful, quite dainty looking birds and not too camera shy when I have been lucky enough to see them.

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    1. Hi Jan,
      Thank you. They seem to be fairly confiding birds, although that could be something to do with the fact that they have just flown several hundred miles and are so tired they can`t be bothered to move! ;)
      J

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  7. Thank you for sharing this beauty!

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    1. Hi Wanda,
      Thank you for your kind comment!
      J

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  8. Excellent captures. I had my first Wheatear on April 1st but my friend had seen one or two in the same area a few days earlier. They are purely stopping over on my downs patch but they show high site fidelity.

    Kind Regards

    Tony Powell

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    1. Hi Tony,
      Thank you. These were my first of the year on April 1st as well, although a couple have been seen in the area before that. The place that I normally see them is Maxey GP, but so far this year there haven`t been any sightings, but it won`t be long now!?
      J

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  9. Lovely shots of the Wheatears, John!

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